Visit CAAM's blog to hear the conversation, recorded just before the film’s world premiere at CAAMFest 2014 in March. Visit CAAMedia.org to buy tickets to see the film at CAAMFest San Jose on September 6th at 8:30pm. CAAM is also giving away two AWESOME ASIAN BAD GUYS t-shirts and a poster. To enter, “like” our CAAMFest Facebook Page and in the post comments section tell us who your favorite bad guy is. The winner will be randomly selected.

Lum, better known as rapper Awkwafina, began her music education at 11 with the trumpet and went on to attend New York City’s famed LaGuardia High School (Nicki Minaj and Azealia Banks are also alumni). But it wasn’t until college that the Queens native invested in her music in a way she hadn’t before. “When I went to college, it became more of a hobby and that’s when I think I got the realest music education,” she said. “It wasn’t something that I had to do. It wasn’t an obligation.”

Must be: ASIAN/ASIAN MIXED
Age must be between 16-36 years old.
Males: min height is 5′11″
Females: min height is 5′8″
Experience not required, but MUST be confident and reliable!
For any questions, please send us an email: info@AsianInNY.com

Female and male models needed for runway fashion shows on Saturday 9/27 at Grand Central Terminal. There will be media exposure as well as opportunity to participate in future AsianInNY’s fashion shows with various incredible Asian designers. The chosen models will be invited to private AsianInNY appreciation Party.

As I was tweaking my nipples, for no reason other then to make myself laugh and go "hehe" (because you need that break in your day) I really thought to myself how my nipples really don't get enough attention and their fair share of respect and I felt like just giving my nipples a nice shout out.

Sure my nipples don't dispense vitamins, they aren't pierced (because I'm just too afraid someone might accidentally rip one off by mistake and by someone I mean me) so I can't use them for any functional tasks per se (like lifting things from my non-existent nipple rings) nor are they attached to awesome man breasts (but if I had boobs I don't think I'd come out of the house) - but I still love them.

They're a part of the family.

So yay for nipples!

And yay for my Asian American nipples (because technically my nipples are a part of the APIA community)!

P.S.

There is no other underlying context here except to talk about my nerple friends...

Northwest Side director's adaptation of a satirical play just might upend everything you think you know about life inside Asian-American households [...] Presented by the A-Squared Theatre Workshop, the script reading for "Ching Chong Chinaman" takes place 2 p.m. Saturday at the Chinese-American Museum of Chicago, 238 W. 23rd St. The satirical play, written by Lauren Yee, follows life inside a Chinese-American household, but the family is not what viewers might expect [...] "First off it's a comedy but I also like the idea that Lauren Yee had a very specific message that's open to interpretation. And the way I interpret the play is this idea that, as Asian-Americans, we're sort of outsiders among the Asian culture outside of the U.S. "And with second or third generations, you're sort of even more separated from that [world] culture, and so we start seeing it through the Western view," he said. Underneath all of the irreverent, hilarious misunderstandings — at one point the family hires a Chinese indentured servant — there's a strong message about cultural identity.

The show is scheduled for open on Sept. 27 @ the Raven Theater in Edgewater and they are currently going through an Indiegogo campaign to help in the production (20 days left).

I first got to know of Dawen Wang (aka Dawen 王大文) from his project "Declare INDIEpendence: How Sweet the Sound, an Asian American showcase of four Chicago singer songwriters" in 2008 (continuing on in 2009 and 2010) and have been a fan ever since. Looking at where he is now (and getting there in a relatively short amount of time), I can't help but think he's a prototype for Asian American artists who decide to go back to Asia to fuel their talents and in the process become successful.

Starting in Chicago, then to California, Dawen now lives in Taipei and is signed to Universal Music Taiwan. He's touring. Getting great write-ups. Collaborating with other artists. Two of his songs have been on popular dramas with one of them being the theme song.

It's a long way from the Midwest and hitting up small blogs to help get some exposure for events - but hard work: uprooting himself, working on YouTube videos, going to and winning events like Kollaboration, playing gigs, re-inventing and re-imagining his music (translating pop songs into Mandarin) - and a little bit of luck (with his covers highlighted by Carson Daly) along with some great talent - it's all paying off.

Here the videos for "Beautiful" and "Let's Work It Out" that have over 5 million combined views.

Feel free (and I say this to my parole officer because they have nothing better to do anyway) to tell me I'm wrong and let me know different, but after looking at all of the presenters and winners in this year's 2014 Teen Choice Awards, I don't think I saw one Asian American...

It's not like I'm not happy to hear about this, but at the same time I can't help but think to myself why did it take so long and why the hell did it take so long.

And then I remember everything about the Vietnam War, the 70's, being an immigrant, and not being able to President.

Little steps I guess.

Little steps.

In front of a crowd of hundreds, Col. Viet Luong made history last week, becoming the first general born in Vietnam in the history of the U.S. military, during a ceremony last week at Fort Hood.

Brig. Gen. Luong came to the United States as a 10-year-old child in 1975 during Operation Frequent Wind after the fall of Saigon. Along with his parents and seven siblings, he briefly lived in a resettlement camp in Arkansas before ultimately settling in Los Angeles. He attended the University of Southern California, graduating in 1987, before joining the Army.

“As a Vietnamese American, and as an immigrant, I am a symbol of democracy, of freedom, of justice, of our constitution.” Luong told NBC affiliate KXAN. “I live everyday trying to live up to the honor and prestige of one of the owners of that.”

A little late with this one, but there's still actually a TON of time - so get on our and get you submission in (because it's CAAM!)

CAAMFest is the nation’s largest showcase for new Asian and Asian American films, presenting approximately 130 works in San Francisco, Berkeley and Oakland. Since 1982, the annual festival has been an important launching point for Asian American independent filmmakers as well as a vital source for new Asian cinema.

Competition categories include the Comcast Narrative Competition, the Documentary Competition, the Emerging Filmmaker Award, the Audience Award for Best Narrative, the Audience Award for Best Documentary and the Loni Ding Award in Social Issue Documentary Award. See past award winners.

CAAMFest aspires to incite dialogue and community engagement, motivated by “the innovative ways Asian Americans are contributing to and shaping American Identity and Culture,” says Stephen Gong, Executive Director of CAAM. In doing so, CAAMFest also showcases music, food, and interactive workshops. The 2014 festival drew an attendance of over 26,000, including more than 250 filmmakers and industry guests from around the world.

East West Players (EWP), the nation’s longest-running professional theatre of color in the country and the largest producing organization of Asian American artistic work, opens its 50th Anniversary Season, Golden, with “Animals Out of Paper,” by Pulitzer-nominated Rajiv Joseph and directed by Jennifer Chang. The production features CS Lee (“Dexter”), Tess Lina (“Revenge,””NCIS”) and introducing Kapil Talwalkar.

When a world-renowned origami artist opens her studio to a teenage prodigy and his school teacher, she discovers that life and love can’t be arranged neatly in this drama about finding the perfect design. A quirky and melancholy play, by the author of Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, that has been hailed as “pitch-perfect” by the NY Times.

“We are proud to have a Pulitzer Prize finalist and multi-award winning playwright open our Golden Season at EWP,” says Tim Dang, Producing Artistic Director. “As EWP leads the charge for diversity for all theaters to open up their storytelling to include the stories of the world, Rajiv and our production of Animals Out Of Paper is perfect to the core – biracial playwright, Pan-Asian cast, diverse creative and design team. The future of theatre is here.”

The design team includes: set design by Naomi Kasahara, lighting design by Tom Ontiveros, costume design by Halei Parker, sound design and original composition by Melanie Chen, and props by Ayako Inoue. Stage manager is Michelle Gutierrez-Martina.

All performances will be staged at the David Henry Hwang Theater at the Union Center of the Arts at 120 Judge John Aiso Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Previews are Thursday, September 4th through Saturday September 6th at 8pm and Sunday September 7th at 2pm. All preview seats are $23.

Opening Night for “Animals Out of Paper” is Wednesday, September 10th at 8pm and includes a 7pm pre-performance cocktail reception, and a post-show reception with the cast and creative team. Opening Night is sponsored by Edison International. Call theater for availability. “Pay-What-You-Can” Performance is on Thursday, September 11th. A special talkback with the cast and creative team is on Sunday, September 21 immediately following the performance. The production runs until October 5th.

Regular performances run Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 2pm. Tickets may be purchased online at www.eastwestplayers.org or by calling 213.625.7000. Regular tickets range from $28-$38. Student and Senior discounts available. Dates, prices and details are subject to change.

OPENING NIGHT: MEET THE PATELS
Geeta and Ravi Patel’s MEET THE PATELS opens the festival on Friday, September 5, at 7pm, at Camera 3 Cinema in downtown San Jose, followed by the Opening Night Party at 9pm at the beautiful San Jose Museum of Art (SJMA). MEET THE PATELS follows comedian Ravi Patel, on the verge of turning 30 and feeling pressure to get married, as he ventures off to explore the various traditional Indian methods of arranged marriages. Along the way, he learns what it means to be in love, and how marriage is more than a commitment between two people. Director Geeta Patel will be in attendance.

CENTERPIECE: AMERICAN DREAMS IN CHINA
Highly praised as the “Chinese Social Network,” three college slackers turned successful businessmen face copyright infringement lawsuits in one of China’s most successful box office hits of 2013. A modern telling of David versus Goliath, AMERICAN DREAMS IN CHINA, directed by Peter Chan (THE WARLORDS, DRAGON), is an aspirational and riveting story of the underdog’s rise to the top. Saturday, September 6 at 6pm at Camera 3 Cinema

CLOSING NIGHT: 27°C LOAF ROCKS
Veteran director Lin Cheng-sheng once again finds cinematic success with 27°C LOAF ROCKS, a mouth-watering foodie flick based on the life of Wu Pao-Chun, Taiwan’s master baker. Along with the ensemble cast, Director Lin does a remarkable job bringing to life Wu’s extraordinary journey of passion and perserverance, from his apprenticeship in a Taipei bakery to his win at the 2010 Bakery World Cup. With the best in foodie films such as EAT DRINK MAN WOMAN and ZONE PRO SITE: THE MOVEABLE FEAST, Taiwan’s cinematic legacy continues to grow with this glossy, family friendly feature. Sunday, September 7 at 7pm at Camera 3 Cinema

IN MEMORIAM: YURI KOCHIYAMA
CAAMFest San Jose is honored to host a special screening of YURI KOCHIYAMA: PASSION FOR JUSTICE by Rea Tajiri, commemorating the life and legacy of Yuri Kochiyama, a Japanese American icon and civil rights activist who continues to inspire new generations of Asian Americans (and beyond). Yuri Kochiyama passed away at the age of 93 this past June. Director Rea Tajiri will be in attendance. Thursday, September 4 at 7pm at the Japanese American Museum of San Jose. RSVP required. Please RSVP to PublicPrograms@JAMsj.org.

SPECIAL PRESENTATION: AWESOME ASIAN BAD GUYS
In March 2014, CAAMFest proudly world premiered AWESOME ASIAN BAD GUYS, a hilarious web series created by the National Film Society (Patrick Epino and Stephen Dypiangco). Reuniting “bad guys” from classic films such as LETHAL WEAPON, DIE HARD and THE KARATE KID for one last battle, this digital media project pushes new, innovative ways for filmmakers to tell their stories. Saturday, September 6 at 8:30pm at Camera 3 Cinema

Sure, I may not want to be from Kentucky - but only because I have my own prejudices against Kentucky (except for KFC which I'm sure didn't even start in Kentucky...wait...my researcher is sending me a text...wait...it was from the collection agency at the bar down the street...fuck them) - BUT if I was from Kentucky and I was Asian, and I was Elaine Chao, I would surely be offended if someone like Kathy Groob, a Democratic activist and the founder of a group called Elect Women told said "She (Chao) isn't from KY, she is Asian".

Ahh - not all Democratic activists...or liberals for that matter...are wanted...

And in Ted Nugent news, it's again no surprise that he slings words like "Japs"...

While I am lazy and just getting to reading some emails, I wanted to make sure and post this up on the redistricting of Koreatown - and while I can't claim to know all of the ins and outs - I pass on to you:

Redistricting is conducted once every ten years after the census and district lines are redrawn to reflect the changes in the population. In California, hearings are held throughout the state and KAC spoke at various public hearings to the State Redistricting Commission to ensure that Koreatown was kept in a single district on all levels to keep the special language needs and interests of the Koreatown residents intact. Thanks to assistance from the Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans for Fair Redistricting (CAPAFR) and KAC’s active participation in the State Redistricting process, Koreatown was kept whole in five State Assembly districts, two State Senate districts, and two Federal House of Representatives districts, respectively. Los Angeles County kept Koreatown whole after the 2000 redistricting process and fortunately, Koreatown remained in a single County Supervisorial District after the 2011 redistricting process.

The Korean American community benefited from being kept whole pursuant to the LAPD Olympic Station boundaries for the Congressional, State Senate, State Assembly and County districts. However, the Los Angeles City Redistricting Commission was riddled with highly irregular actions, starting with a lack of transparency during the redistricting process.

By splitting Koreatown into two districts, the City denied the Koreatown community the ability to vote collectively for a single City Council representative who would represent the community’s unique interests. The community still lacks many things, including public green space, government-funded senior centers, low income housing and road maintenance.

Five Koreatown residents sued the City of Los Angeles after thousands of requests to put Koreatown into one district were ignored. Two prestigious law firms, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP and Bird, Marella, Boxer, Wolpert, Nessim, Drooks, Lincenberg & Rhow P.C. represent the Koreatown plaintiffs. A second lawsuit was filed by plaintiffs in City Council Districts 8, 9, and 10.

The City Redistricting issue is far from over and the litigation is likely to last several years. KAC will ensure that the Korean American voice is not ignored, and will continue to monitor the progress for the redistricting lawsuits.

Beginning June 9th through the summer of 2014, the Hmongstory 40 project will be launching the research phases of our project. Please go to the “Exhibits” tab above and view the descriptions for the four exhibits: “Life in Laos, Laos and the Secret War, Thailand Refugee Camps and California“. We are currently looking for passionate individuals who can help us with outreach and research for these four Exhibits. We have teams of four people who will be leading the exhibits, but will need support team members in each of the four phases. Call (559) 454-1212 to learn more today.

If you haven't read this excerpt from a recent interview by Woody Allen for the New York Observer, it goes like this:

Earlier this year, in an effort to derail Ms. Blanchett’s Oscar campaign, a couple of anonymous complaints turned up in the tabloids about Mr. Allen not using black actors. He’s horrified when I bring up the subject. We talk about the new generation of wonderful black actors like Viola Davis and wonder if they’ll ever be cast in a Woody Allen film. He doesn’t hesitate to respond: "Not unless I write a story that requires it. You don’t hire people based on race. You hire people based on who is correct for the part. The implication is that I’m deliberately not hiring black actors, which is stupid. I cast only what’s right for the part. Race, friendship means nothing to me except who is right for the part."

What Allen is really saying is that his characters - who people consider deep and layered with a multitude of emotions - can't be played by anyone who's not White - because I guess Allen just feels that if you aren't White you can't be neurotic, funny, quirky, elated - basically all human emotions.

But as we all know - that's a load of complete and utter Diane Keaton.

It's like the site I still lament - Stuff White People Like - which basically tells people that doing certain things - like listening to NPR, is only for White People (because you know, they have a hold on everything...).

Really?

So is Woody also saying that People Of Color are kind of like sub-humans who just aren't evolved? I mean if Allen would have to write something specific for let's say some Black and Asian American characters does that mean that no one talks in complete sentences and the main story lines are between a basketball court and a Chinese delivery place?

Yeah - we all know the studios have issues, but ummm Ricky Boy - that doesn't excuse what Allen said and the inherent White Privilege and Racism of it all (and I wonder how many White teachers who school kids of color have the same mentality when it comes to subjects or mannerisms).

2008 Year In Review

If you're looking for the 2008 In Review Posts, the link list has been moved out, but you can still get to them all by following this link which pulls them up by label (they'll be in reverse so go to the oldest post to read them in order).

2007 In Review Posts

If you're looking for the 2007 In Review Posts, the link list has been moved out, but you can still get to them all by following this link which pulls them up by label (they'll be in reverse so go to the oldest post to read them in order).

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